Spark-plug indicator and intensifier



Feb. 17. 1925. 1,526,897

l L. Bost-:LLI

SPARK PLUG INDICATOR AND INTENSIIER Filed Oct. l2, 1923 Io SPARK Pws 5 INVENTOR BY AoRNEY Patented Feb. 17, 1925.

UNITED vSTATES LOUIS BOSELLI, OFNnW YORK, N. Y.

SPARK-PLUG `INDICAIO'JR. AND INTENSIFIEB.

Application led October 12, 1923. Serial No. 668,080.

.To ZZ v't0/10m t may concern Be it known that I, Lotus Bosman, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, borough of Manhattan, in the I county of New York and State of New York,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spark-Plug Indicators and Intcnsiliers, of which the following is a speciiication. l0 This invention relates to ignition devices and has particular reference to spark plug attachments for use especially in connection with internal combustion engines.

Among the Objects of the invention is to provide mechanism located preferably within easy reach and view olf the driver ofV an automobile or the like and electrically connected with the several spark plugs of the motor and adapted to serve first, as an indicator ot the condition of the spark plugs, and secondly, as a means for intensifying the spark so as to remedy in most cases the faulty action of the plugs within the engine cylinders.

More specifically, the means employed by me in my practice and substantially as illustrated herein comprises an indicator plate or the like located on the instrument board of the automobile and having a. series of win- :in dows pertaining respectively `to the spark plugs and having associated with the windows spark gap connections with all Y of which is associated a common ground con-Y nection manually Operated so as to enable the driver on the manipulation ot the ground connection to locate and correct faulty spark plugs.

lilith the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists in the arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed, and while the inven tion is not restricted to the exact details of construction disclosed or suggested herein, still for the purpose of illustrating a practical embodiment thereof reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same parts in the several views, and in which- Figure 1 is a face view of the instrument board attachment.

Fig. 2 is a rear view of the same mech anism as in Fig. 1 and having a diagram of the wiring.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. l is an enlarged detail View of one of the spark gap screws.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings I show at a disk or plate ot insulation fitted in or through, in any convenient manner, the instrument board 11 and held in place by means of a flanged rim 12 between the face of which and the face of the disk is located a transparent window 13. This disk 10 is shown provided for four spark gaps for four plugs, but it will be un derstood that for an engine having a greater number of cylinders the device will be correspondingly designed. To this end I show a circular series of tour pits 1, 2, 3, and t, pertaining :to` the respective spark plugs, said pits being formed by drilling inward from the face of the disk toward the back thereof and preferably equally distanced from the centerl oi the disk. In the center ofthe disk is formed a smooth hole 14 counterbored and tapped at the front end and also tapped at the rear end.

15 indicates a metallic thimble projected through the center of the glass plate 13 and tapped into the counterbore ot the central hole .14. A plunger 16 is fitted slidably in the thimble having a manually operatable head at the front end and having a smooth rear end fitted in the hole 14e. A spring 17 surrounding the plunger and bearing at one end against the head of the thimble and at its otherend against a shoulder 18, tends to hold the plunger forward so that its rear end is spaced from a contact screw 19 litted adjustably in the tapped rear end of the hole 14 and locked by suitable lock nuts 20. A ground connection 21 is attached to this screw 19. The normal gap between the plunger and the screw 19 is adapted to be closed by pressing forward upon the plunger.

22 indicates a series of radial screws projected transversely or radially across the pits and tightened againstthe surface ot the thimble. serving therebry I1to1 lock the thimble in place and to make a common connection or contact between the thim'ble and parts therein and said screws. These screws .tor the sake of best action of the device have pointed heads each having a pair ot kerfs 23 on opposite sides of its point for the application of a` Spanner screw driver which being projected through a hole 24 at the periphery of the disk will provide for regulated as to be somewhat widerzthanlthe' normal gaps between the sparking points of the plugs.

Each screw 25 after beingy adjusted is locked in place by means Aof a rearwardly projected screw 26 abuttingl directly against itand locked'in-placein turn by nuts 27.

lires 1^ to l are secured to the binding screws 27 by'thumb nuts '28 and lead thence to the'respective spark'- plugs as indicated by the diagrams.y The screws -22 are preferablyrsmaller thanl the screws 25 so that theyA mayv be slippeddirectly through the holes :24 duringiassemblage. l

The operation. of the dev-ice, in view of the foregoing;description, may be: summarized briefly as follows; rThe indicator disk; as yin Fig. 1- will always :be in plain view ofthe operator or=driver,y and*duringr-the normal proper operation'v of thefengine and `spark plugs -no substantial manifestation will be noticeablevat the several windows, the' gap at each plug being less vthan in'thewindow pertaining thereto, the sparkwill' beuproduced at the proper place andfwilll notbe visible at the-indicator- I'Moreoveig the gap at the rear end ot-theplunger-'is so great that no ground connection ordinarily is made. lVhen, however, the driver has reason to lsuspect faultyv spark `plugs in his engine he will depress-fthe plunger, closing the gap between the` plunger and the ground connectionscrew 19, thus bringing all the screws 22 into ground connection. In most instances `it a spark plug is vfailing because it is foul an intensified spark will be produced and be visible'in its corresponding window at'the indicator,y so thattheoperator while holding the plunger depressed can discover immediat-ely which` plug it.' `any is failing, and,- moreover,` by holding the plunger depressed for a few moments the intensilication of the charge through the indicator and sparking mechanism will serve to lpurgerthefoul plug contacts and so restore .such plug to active operation again. This .lattervfa'ctfis evidenced by the discontinuance or failure ot the spark at the window. lVhen this result is `obtained the driver naturally will releasethe plunger and proceed as" atfviirst with thc engine in proper operation.

Iam aware that' it has been proposed heretofore "tor provide vindicating devices for spark plugs having somewhat'the same general operationl asmy il'nprovement7 but so far as I have been advised my construction is fare simpler and cheaper in construction and;more'reliable in operation than previous devices.

I claim:

In indicator mechanism of vthe class set it'orth, the'com'bination.- of a bodyv of insulation having a central holeythe front end of which is counter sunk,y a thimble fitted into the counter sink, a manually operatedplunger Yfitted in the thim'ble and slidable rear` ward-@toward thev rear end 4ol? the central hole7 aspring acting upon the plunger holding` it*'liorwarchV a ground screw connection spaced normally/'from the plunger at the rear end of the central hole but adapted to be engaged bythe plungerwhen depressed, a series o't-screwslitted radially toward and against athimbleserving-to ldckthe'thimble in' place, a corresponding series of outside screws in' radial alignment respectively with the screws firsty mentioned and normally spacedtherefrom' forming spark gaps, and a series of -combined'locking.means for the last'menti'oned outside* screws and connections for spark plug wires.

i In testimony whereof I vaflix my signature.

LOUIS BOSELLI. 

